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Book reviews for "Jackson,_Robert" sorted by average review score:

A Rhythmic Vocabulary: A Musician's Guide to Understanding and Improvising With Rhythm
Published in Paperback by Mel Bay Publications (1999)
Authors: Alan Dworsky, Betsy Sansby, and Robert Jackson
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Not the author's best work for drummers...
Alan Dworsky has provided great instructional texts for drummers. This book is probably best suited for musicians playing instruments other than drums, who want to understand rhythm better.

For those who are looking for a book to teach them how to play their drum, I would suggest Dworsky's other books, specifically, "How to Play the Djembe" and "Conga Drumming - A Beginner's Guide to Playing with Time". Both of these are excellent resources and probably the best books available for entry level instruction for these instruments.

musical notation
I am finding this book very useful. It teaches important rhythmic concepts in very direct ways. The only thing that I question is the decision not to use standard musical notation. The book is supposed to be for musicians of all instruments: why not write the rhythms in a language that will be understood almost universally by musicians instead of creating a different system (which admittedly is fairly simple and visual)? By doing this, perhaps they are opening up their audience to some non-musicians, but at the risk of alienating the musicians the book was meant for.

Even if you aren't a drummer don't discount this one!
As a bass player I'm always looking for ways to keep my grooves fresh. You always have to worry about falling ino the trap of laying out on the same rhythms all the time. This book will give you a kick in the pants though. As someone who has studied music at a college level, and knows how to read music I was concerned the charts would be a pain since I've known how to read music for years. However picking up on them was not confusing at all..and in fact it's very much tied into the way you count on regular notation and it's really not a problem. Afro-Cuban/Latin and African rhtyhms are the focus here but you can use this on anything. I found myself taking a latin rhythm and adding one note here or there, and changing the notes and turning it into a funk riff or something. I'm not nearly done working through this book..some of the exercises are a challenge, especially on a pitched instrument. However in the end they do serve to freshen up your grooves. I'm going to recommend this to all the rhythm players in my band. Thanks.


Cheyenne Raiders
Published in Hardcover by Forge (1900)
Authors: Jackson O'Reilly and Robert Jordan
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Good Book about Life with the Cheyenne!
This is a fast-paced story with lots of action about Thomas McCabe sent to live with a tribe of Cheyenne in Missouri in l837.
Customs, traditions and a way of life he soon comes to appreciate are all part of the plot as he is sent on a job for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to observe and record the Cheyenne for the Bureau. Excitement and adventures are in each chapter of the novel. A good read!
Evelyn Horan - teacher/counselor/author
Jeannie, A Texas Frontier Girl, Books One - three

A very good historial read
After four years of reading the law in Boston, Yale graduate Thomas Benton McCabe decides he needs a change. He accepts a position with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and almost immediately is sent west to write a report on a remote Cheyenne tribe. At home, the assignment seemed easy, but in the middle of Missouri exclusively surrounded by Indians for miles, the job appears impossible.

Thomas saves the life of a Cheyenne chief, Spotted Fox. Though he distrusts the whites who always come in peace, a grateful Spotted Fox allows "Mack Cabe" to join his tribe. Soon Mack falls in love with Night Bird Woman. In accordance with tribal law, Mack will have to first fight her intended Three Hatchets. If he survives that test, he must surmount the Test of Fire for the honor of marrying Night Bird Woman. Unbeknownst to Mack his tribulations are just beginning.

CHEYENNE RAIDERS is a reprint of a novel that fantasy fan favorite Robert Jordan wrote in the early 1980's as Jackson O'Reilly. The story line is fast-paced, filled with non-stop action, and picturesquely makes the late 1830's seem alive. The motives of the characters are never fully developed as the adventures that happen to Mack take center stage. Fans of western novels with plenty of conflict, activity, and energy will enjoy CHEYENNE RAIDERS. Still Mr. Jordan's "Wheel of Time" fans might only want to read this as a curiosity piece that showcase the author's earlier work.

Harriet Klausner


Gurps Y2K: The Countdown to Armageddon
Published in Paperback by Steve Jackson Games (1999)
Authors: John M. Ford, Scott Haring, Kenneth Hite, Steve Jackson, Jeff Koke, Phil Masters, Sean Punch, David Pulver, and Robert Schroeck
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Post-Apocalypse Role-Playing
GURPS Y2K seems poised to be a good sourcebook for post-apocalyptic role-playing. Don't be put off by the name - this book contains much more than just the millennium bug.

Starting with a chapter on Y2K (which we know on 20-20 hindsight never became the calamity that some were predicting), there are ideas in this book for everything from a complete world-wide computer shutdown, to "Mad Max" type worlds, and even the biblical "Judgement Day", along with several others. There's also a section on a super-hero world suffering from post-apocalypse blues.

The "sidebars" (sections of the book along the sides of each page) contain even more material that can be used to put your game world in a state of chaos. Some of these sidebars beg to be put into whole worlds of their own.

But the book suffers slightly when it reads a little like a collection of articles about post-apocalypse scenarios in gaming, rather than a single world presented in RPG terms. The =nine= authors each contributed a section or two to this book, and only the excellent effort by Sean Punch to put it all together under one roof keeps this book from being merely a collection of unrelated after Armageddon articles.

I'd still recommend this book for people wanting to see what their campaign world would look like after a major catastrophe, or for people wanting to explore what happens after.

Pretty good
Well, overall the book was pretty well made. It touched upon many of the common topics and settings for a post holocaust envirnoment including everything from minor computer glitches to the Biblical apacalypse and "Mad Max" and "The Postman" type situations. Even alien invasion was discussed in the essays. All seven authors of the book provided well written source matterial. Y2k also gives information on realistic rioting and anarchy.

There was one point I did not like about the book though. It would make many references to other GURPS source books, some of which were out of print, for more material on a subject. I feel that some of the writing was judt put in a advertisements and "plug" for other books.

Personally, I wish they had touched more on the "Mad Max," "Postman," and "Fallout" (a post-apacalyptic computer game) scenarios, but I do realize that the book was created for post Y2K campaigns and that everyone does not like what I like.

Overall, though, the book provides good post distaster material.


Fighter Pilots of World War II
Published in Hardcover by Dorset House Publishing Co Inc (01 January, 1995)
Author: Robert Jackson
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Simply synopsis of some of the top pilots
This book is a brief history of the flying career of some of the top pilots of World War II. Pilots from England, Canada, Australia, USA, Germany, Soviet Union, and Japan are represented in a very read-able text. I would place the reading level at the advanced high-school/early university grade, and is a very good source of information for those people out there who run flight simulators on their personal computers. I'm using this book as a reference for developing custom missions for the PC flight simulator "AirWarrior". There's enough combat detail to allow the reader to set altitude, location, number and type of aircraft involved, and the outcome.


First Regiment, Engineer Troops, P.A.C.S.: Robert E. Lee's Combat Engineers
Published in Paperback by R.A.E. Design and Publishing (1998)
Authors: Harry L. Jackson and Ronald A. Ellis
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First Regiment Engineer Troops P.A.C.S.
As a Captain in the Washington State Civil War Association I portray the Company "A" 1st Confederate Engineers commanding officer. We try to make our re-enacments as authentic as possible but information on the Confederate Engineers is very difficult to find as most records were lost when Richmond was evacuated. I have found Mr. Jackson's book to be of immense help in studying the history of the 1st C.E. The information he gives is obviously well researched and is presented in an interesting way so it is enjoyable to read. The use of letters from the participants gives the book a personal touch that I found drew me into the action as though I were actually there in the works at Petersburg while the seige was going on. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the War Between the States.


Glossary of Geology (4th Ed)
Published in Hardcover by American Geological Institute (1997)
Authors: Julia A. Jackson and Robert Latimer Glossary of Geology Bates
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Glossary of Geology
Es el mejor diccionario de términos geológicos.


History of the Royal Navy
Published in Hardcover by Parragon Publishing (11 October, 1999)
Author: Robert Jackson
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HMS of yore
Jackson's light coffee table book, History of The Royal Navy suprisingly squeezes in a lot of information and easy to understand explanations. He starts from the beginning and dosen't dwell on a subject for to long and quickly moves on through.

Naturally the Royal Navy from the mid 1700's to 1945 gets the most coverage as this was the time it ruled supreme.

The modern future is covered and we can see that the US Navy will rule supreme for the next two hundred years at least.


The Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas (Bur Oak Original)
Published in Hardcover by University of Iowa Press (1996)
Authors: Laura Spess Jackson, Carol A. Thompson, James J. Dinsmore, Bruce L. Ehresman, John Fleckenstein, Robert Cecil, Lisa M. Hemesath, and Stephen J. Dinsmore
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This book is an excellent overview of the birds of Iowa.
The Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas presents the first detailed state-wide survey results for breeding birds. Detailed species accounts are provided for more than 150 birds known to breed in Iowa. These are accompanied by maps showing the distribution of the birds. Several introductory chapters summarize information about the vegetation, geologic origins, and history of the state. Summary statistics include tables showing the most common species, the most frequently confirmed breeding species, and correlations between species groups and the different landforms. The data in this volume includes key information on both common and rare species. This book is an excellent reference for anyone interested in birds or bird atlases. The species accounts are extremely well-written and informative. I highly recommend this book.


The Israeli Air Force story: the struggle for Middle East aircraft supremacy since 1948
Published in Unknown Binding by Tom Stacey Ltd ()
Author: Robert Jackson
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Great Prequel to Lon Nordeen's "Fighters Over Israel"
This little paperback was published in 1970 and thus only covers Arab-Israeli aerial combat from 1948 to the book's punlishing date in 1970 during the War of Attrition. As a popularized account and history of the Heyl Ha'Avir (Israeli Air Force) intended for Western audiences, it's a great book and I'd highly recommend it. Its' photographic inserts are very nice as well.

However, as a comprehensive history of the Heyl Ha'Avir, it's a very dated book. I'd still recommend it for its' great background and photographs, but as of 2002, there are better references on the Heyl Ha'Avir available. I called my review "Great Prequel to Lon Nordeen's 'Fighters Over Israel'" because this book works great as an unofficial "prequel."

I should mention one other thing and that is that this book was published in the UK and some of the outlooks on Heyl Ha'Avir history differ from Israeli or American outlooks of Heyl Ha'Avir history.


Journey to justice : a woman's true story of breast cancer and medical malpractice
Published in Unknown Binding by A-R Editions ()
Author: Diane Craig Chechik
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